Four months ago, I made one of the most nerve-wracking decisions of my life. I jumped on a plane and flew 30 hours to the other side of the world to start a new life in England.
I left behind the lush green mountains, pristine beaches and quiet city streets of New Zealand for the hustle and bustle of London and so far, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
But despite how happy I have been here, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. I thought that England would be much like New Zealand, but the reality is there are some pretty significant differences.
And it’s not just the food that’s different, but the language and even the social etiquette have been a real challenge to get my head around.
The first of these glaring differences was something I noticed straight off the plane when I went to get a coffee. As I stepped up to order, the woman behind the counter looked at me and said “you alright?”.
Having just gotten off a 30-hour flight, crammed into economy with my knees rammed into the seat in front and one half of my headphones broken, I answered as honestly as I felt I could, without being rude.
“Oh you know, been better, been worse! Just got off the flight from New Zealand so a little worse for wear. What about you?”. She looked at me like I’d grown two heads, there was a brief silence and then she mumbled something that I think was “fine thanks”.
I came away clutching my oat milk flat white, not knowing what I had done wrong but absolutely knowing something had gone awry.
It took a few more weeks of being greeted this way by people in pubs, clubs, restaurants and shops for me to realise there is absolutely no expectation that you answer in any detail more than a mumbled repetition of the phrase.
When people ask if you’re alright, they don’t actually care if you are or not, and they are definitely not looking for a life rundown
The second difference between New Zealand and England is the drinking culture: from the expectation of buying rounds, to the proliferation of pubs, there is so much to unpack here.
First of all: rounds. Buying rounds is absolutely, categorically not a thing in New Zealand. If you offer to buy a round, then not only would you be seen as extremely rich, and possibly a bit stupid, but there would be little chance of people stepping up to buy the next one.
It’s very much a culture of every man for himself, which is a lot simpler than the delicate social dance of organising that all Brits seem to have learned by osmosis – possibly because so many of them seem to have grown up in pubs.
This brings me to the second difference between the two countries – kids in pubs. The first time I went to grab a drink after work at my local and saw toddlers and children literally sprinting through the garden as their parents sat around chatting and drinking, I thought I was seeing things.
New Zealand is much, much stricter in its drinking culture. Kids would be allowed into a pub (I think) but it would be very strange to see. Pub culture doesn’t really exist in the same way it does here where everyone and their nan seems to pop in and out of the local.
Back home, pubs are more limited to old blokes sitting around watching the rugby. Although it was odd to me at first, I have come to really like the casual culture of pubs here.
Although drinking is definitely an aspect, it’s not always the sole goal. I enjoy the way that Brits use pubs as more than a watering hole, but a community hub. The added bonus of there being a pub about every three feet probably makes this slightly easier to achieve.
The other thing I cannot get my head around is every store selling alcohol. From corner stores, to supermarkets, you’re never far from a place to buy liquor. Where I’m from, some supermarkets will have a selection of beer and wine – but absolutely no spirits at all.
To get your hands on spirits such as vodka or tequila, you’d have to go to a special, separate liquor store which would stock the harder stuff. It absolutely blows my mind that Brits can just wander into their local corner shop and grab a bottle of rum off the shelf.
Drinking is different, but there’s also some significant differences in food – namely, that England is missing out on some serious delicacies – chicken in sushi, and a good bakery pie.
Every day, I miss having delicious teriyaki chicken sushi, or crispy katsu rolled up in seaweed. It may not be traditional, but it is an extremely popular food choice in New Zealand, and one that I cannot for the life of me find in London – even though London has a reputation for being a city where everything is at your fingertips. I also have not been able to find self service sushi, which is on every corner back home.
But the real loss is that of the humble bakery pie. Beloved by hardworking tradies and hungover Kiwis across the nation, the bakery pie is an unbeatable staple.
Golden flaky pastry, piping hot filling with tender steak, rich brown gravy and veins of molten cheese running through it, a good steak and cheese pie is a biblical experience.
Sorry Greggs, but you have absolutely nothing on a pie from New Zealand – and no, a pie and mash shop is not the same.
There may be some weird cultural quirks that I’m still trying to get my head around, but overall, my move to London has been filled with excitement. The people I’ve met seem just as excited that I decided to move, even if everyone does think I’m Australian.